She tilted her head at me. “Well, well. Aren’t you in a hurry.”
I ignored her and pulled open the door, jumping down from the train and sprinting along the tracks. I could hear the footsteps of my guards behind me, but my attention was solely on what was ahead of me.
The tracks cut into the side of the mountain, curving around a bend. When I rounded it and spotted the train wreckage, my stomach dropped.
No.
Thousands of pounds of rocks covered the first car, burying it almost entirely.
Fear iced me, and I ran faster, going around the buried car. Sia wasn’t in there. I refused to believe it.
Because if she was, she was dead.
It was a reality I wasn’t willing to accept.
The next car was only half buried, but it was the final car that caught my eye. It had flipped over onto its side, and arrows protruded from it.
Ambush.
Anger surged inside me, dark and vicious. This had all been planned in an attempt to kill my queen.
I let the beast of my rage overtake me. It gave me speed as I scaled the side of the train car and looked through the broken windows to the interior.
Empty.
But she had been here. Her faint scent was still on the wind, honey and flowers. So uniquely her.
More importantly, there was no blood. Not enough for me to see, at least. Or smell. I would take that to mean she had escaped in good health.
Or was kidnapped.
It was another reality I refused to accept. Not until I saw it with my own eyes. And if I did, I’d rescue her.
I spun in a circle, searching the surrounding area. The mountain rose to my right, the slope extending down to my left. From the angle of the arrows embedded in the train, the attack had come from up the mountain.
They would have run the other way, most likely.
I turned toward the downward slope.
Dain was already in the forest, searching for a trail.
“Do you see anything?” I called.
“Footprints.” He looked into the trees. “They went that way.”
“On their own or dragged?” I leapt off the train car and ran into the forest, finding the footprints at his feet.
“Looks like they were on their own,” Dain said.
“Agreed.” I spotted more tracks. “But they were followed.” By nearly a dozen assailants.
“Let’s go.” I followed the footsteps, moving swiftly and silently through the woods. My guards stuck behind us, knowing me that I’d want to be the first on the scene.
The kill was mine.
Whoever threatened her… I would end them.
My heart thundered, fear driving me forward. We’d run about half a mile into the wood when I heard the sound of a fight. People shouting and swords clanging. A surge of adrenaline and hope pushed me faster, until I came upon a scene that chilled me.
Sia fought a male fae, fending off his sword strikes with her own blade. He was far taller and stronger than she, but he didn’t have her speed. It allowed her to stay one step ahead of his blade at all turns. Her friends Eve and Meria fought their own opponents, but there were more attackers coming out of the woods.
Mercenaries.
I’d know their kind anywhere. They wore silver pendants around their necks that announced their guild to the world.
I drew my sword from the ether and charged, heading for Sia. She was holding her own against her opponent, but a second man had nearly reached them. He was planning to attack her from behind, and there was no way in hell I’d let him.
Sia’s eyes flashed to me as I ran past. I wanted to pull her into my arms and get her away from here, but first, we had to take care of these damned mercenaries.
I put myself between Sia and the second attacker. He was as tall as me, with dark eyes and a snarl that twisted his lips into a grimace. I raised my sword, letting the hot anger flow through my veins. Our blades clashed, and I let my rage drive me, purging it in the fight against my opponent.
It took only two strikes to land a killing blow, my sword sinking through his chest with ease. He hung from my blade, surprised eyes meeting mine. I wedged my foot against his stomach and pushed him off. As he fell, I gripped the pendant that hung around his neck and tore it off. I’d find the damned guild that had sent them and figure out who was paying them to attack my queen.
I turned to seek her out.
She was behind me, dodging her opponent’s blade with swift grace. He swiped for her shoulder. She ducked to avoid it and thrust her blade up into his stomach.
Vicious satisfaction surged through me. I liked seeing her victorious.
All around, my guards fought the mercenaries alongside Sia’s friends.